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Diana Bridger, 51, will be guest of honour and will speak on stage about her personal story before setting the runners on their way and joining in herself.

The mum-of-two from Tarporley only took up running in 2013 but has raised more than £20,000 for Cancer Research UK.

Her family has been deeply impacted by cancer. At the end of 2006 Diana lost her sister Margaret, aged 42, to bowel cancer. Margaret left four young children. Just four weeks later, Diana’s dad Tony died, aged 69, from bile duct cancer.

And in 2015, Diana’s brother Dennis died of lung cancer, aged 52.

Diana Bridger, 51 from Tarporley who lost her brother, sister and father to cancer will be guest of honour at Sunday's Chester Race for Life

Diana, who works for Lloyds Banking Group in Chester city centre, and has sons Michael, 31, Lee 26 and a one-year-old grandson called Leon, said: “It’s been an incredibly tough time for my poor mum who has lost her soul-mate and two children.

“But taking up running has been very positive and knowing I am helping to raise money for Cancer Research UK to hopefully stop other families facing the same heartache in the future, is a great comfort.”

The charity spent more than £23m on research in the North West last year.

Cancer Research UK North West spokeswoman Jane Bullock said: “The atmosphere at Chester promises to be electric - full of emotion, courage, tears and laughter - as hundreds of like-minded ladies come together to join the fight against cancer.

“I’d like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to all the women who participate in Race for Life in Chester and to all the friends, family and colleagues who support them.

“Our participants play a crucial role in helping to turn discoveries made in the lab into better treatments for patients in the North West and across the UK and we rely on their incredible commitment to the cause.”

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Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, in partnership with Tesco, is an inspiring women-only series of 5k, 10k, Pretty Muddy, Marathon and Hiking events which raise millions of pounds every year to help beat cancer sooner by funding vital research.

Money raised through Race for Life helps Cancer Research UK to fund long-term research and pioneering trials, leading to new tests and kinder treatments which could save the lives of men, women and children across the North West and beyond.

Chester Race for Life 2016: Runners leave their personal messages on the wall

Jane continued: “Money raised through Race for Life is helping to drive life-saving research into over 200 different types of cancer - so every person, step and penny raised counts.

“Race for Life isn’t about being the fittest, fastest or first to the finish. It’s about coming together in the fight against this devastating disease. Our aim is that one day everyone will survive cancer and the more women who Race for Life, the sooner that day will come.

“We still have places at events across the North West so this is a rallying call for mums, daughters, sisters and friends to sign up right now and help beat cancer sooner.”

There is still time to enter Race for Life events across the North West at raceforlife.org or call 0300 123 0770.